Navigational health literacy among people with chronic illness

• Published in: Chronic illness 2023-03, Vol.19 (1), p.172-183
• Main Authors: Griese, Lennert, Schaeffer, Doris, Berens, Eva-Maria
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chronic Disease; Chronic illnesses; Delivery of Health Care; Deprivation; Educational Status; Health education; Health Literacy; Health status; Humans; Multiple Chronic Conditions; Regression analysis; Situational factors; Social status; Social support; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 1742-3953; 1745-9206
• DOI: 10.1177/17423953211073368

Objectives People with chronic illness are particularly dependent on navigating and using the health care system. This requires navigational health literacy (HL-NAV). The article aims to examine the distribution and predictors of HL-NAV in a sample of chronically ill individuals. Methods Data of 1,105 people with chronic illness from the general population in Germany were collected in December 2019 and January 2020. HL-NAV was assessed by 12 items (score 0–100). Bivariate and multiple linear regression analysis were performed. Results HL-NAV score was 39.1 (SD 27.3). In bivariate analyses, HL-NAV was lower among chronically ill persons aged 65 or above, with low education, limited functional health literacy, low social status, financial deprivation, poor social support, multiple chronic conditions, and an illness duration of 6–10 years. In multivariate analyses, advanced age, lower education, less functional health literacy, lower social status, and less social support remained associated with lower HL-NAV. Discussion The results underline the importance of promoting HL-NAV among people with chronic illness. Strategies should aim at strengthening individual competencies taking into account the social and situational factors but also at reducing the demands placed on chronically ill people by providing user-friendly and trustworthy information on the health care system along the illness trajectory.